DANCING BEAR Head Shop 1995 Lighter GRATEFUL DEAD Theme ADAMS APPLE Chicago NOS!

$125.00 Buy It Now, Click to see shipping cost, eBay Money Back Guarantee
Seller: cadmium24 ✉️ (1,537) 100%, Location: Pitman, New Jersey, US, Ships to: US, Item: 325641899508 DANCING BEAR Head Shop 1995 Lighter GRATEFUL DEAD Theme ADAMS APPLE Chicago NOS!.

One NOS (New Old Stock), vintage head shop item, metal, mirror chrome finish, 1995 petrol (fills with lighter fluid, not butane) lighter for Deadheads / Grateful Dead fans depicting a Dancing Bear giving you the peace sign.

I don’t use stock photos: this listing is for the one (1) specific lighter featured in the pictures (pulled out of the headshop counter display pictured). It’s very rare to get something like this where the seller is proving to you that the item is NOS and showing you where it came from.

Cool tribute type collectible here from the year that we lost Jerry Garcia. The lighter is Adams Apple brand, whose founder-owner Don Levin had also owned Adams Apple head shop in Chicago (founded 1969; voted one of the Top Ten legendary head shops by High Times Magazine in 2018) with Shelly Miller.

Don went on to revolutionize the head shop scene in the 70’s with his catalog products sold by Adams Apple Distributing, Limited Partnership. His factory was at 2835 N. Sheffield in Chicago, Illinois. Since Don’s company was the US distributor for JOB rolling papers and they also sold every type of bong/bowl (etc.) you can imagine, I guarantee you that Jerry Garcia himself used Don’s products.

In the 80’s, Don used the money he made to buy TOP Tobacco factory and Brands from R.J. Reynolds. Then, he actually bought JOB, as well as Zig-Zag. I mean, Don actually owns these companies. See the picture I posted of Don, from Forbes. He’s the “King of Rolling Papers”. Also see the pics I posted of one of his old catalogs. If you use rolling papers, I think it would be cool to have this lighter from Don’s company because it represents so much history.

From around 1993-98, Zippo collaborated with Adams Apple, producing their own lighters in PA, but with Adams Apple’s name and artwork on them (Zippo name on bottom). The Zippo versions are derivative, to say the least. Because this Dancing Bear design is so likeable, Zippo produced at least 3 different lighters with the Adams Apple Dancing Bear. I don't think Zippo ever produced one like this, though, with the metal art sculpture plaque.

This Adams Apple lighter is slightly taller than a regular size Zippo and slightly less wide. It measures approx. 2 1/4 x 1/2 x 1 3/8 inches. The hinge type and the flint well screw (looks like dome top flat head slot stainless steel) aren’t like you see on Zippo lighters. I think the cam style is about the same, so this lighter has that “click”.

I have a few of these NOS Dancing Bear lighters, but obviously not enough to go around. For reference only, you can see the original shop counter display from which this lighter came in the background of my picture posted above. Even though I think of this lighter as a collectible to display in your showcase at home, believe me, I understand that you want to rest assured that your lighter will work if you want to fill it and fire it up.

The lighter is NOS and unfired (actually never filled with lighter fluid), but has some imperfections (per the finish, almost 30 year old cotton, pad, wick, etc). It looks like all one piece, but the Dancing Bear art is actually a metal art plaque! I checked it real good, and it’s very sturdy / not loose. The lighter feels heavy. It’s a basic thing like a Zippo and not rocket science, so if you fill it up inside and also make sure the wick is absorbed with fluid, it’ll definitely work. I tried one (not this one), which I’m keeping for myself. I’ve put real time and effort into making sure the lighters I have are functional.

I’ve thoroughly checked this lighter to make sure it sparks and the flint isn’t frozen up in the flint well. I took the flint out, inserted a straightened out paper clip into the well to flick off any possible petrified stuff around the flint hole under the spark wheel, and put the flint back in.

I used Singer sewing machine oil to oil the threads of this lighter’s flint well screw, the case hinge, and the insert’s cam. This lighter is good to go -- it’s gotten a tune up (!). Thanks for checking out my listing, ~Chris in NJ

CHECK MY FEEDBACK AND BUY WITH CONFIDENCE! *** 20+ years of happy customers on eBay *** Please see my other eBay listings for more great items. Message me to arrange for combined shipping on multiple purchases.
  • Condition: Used
  • Condition: One (1) lighter, pulled from display as pictured. Does NOT have lighter fluid in it. It’s never been filled or fired up (lit). I’ve tested it and it sparks up. It’s unfired, so it’s never worked because it would take lighter fluid to do that. It has imperfections from: hanging around for almost 30 years, manufacturing, and/or handling. The cotton, pad, and wick in the insert have never been used + are old with discoloration, etc. The insert isn’t perfect: the cam is a little ‘off’ and it will have scratches, etc., from being taken out and put back into the case, which is uncleaned on the inside. Selling it as-is and consider it used since I’ve: removed the insert, cleaned the flint well, oiled things (flint well screw threads, insert cam or arm, and case hinge), sparked it, etc. This item does not come with instructions. I made sure the flint is not frozen up. It’s an Adams Apple (Chicago company) lighter, not a Zippo. Pics of company owner + catalog posted for reference only.
  • Brand: Adams Apple Distributing
  • Type: Metal Flip Top Insert Petrol Flint Windproof
  • Color: Silver
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: Unknown
  • Grateful Dead Rock Memorabilia: Collectible from 1995 when we lost Jerry Garcia

PicClick Insights - DANCING BEAR Head Shop 1995 Lighter GRATEFUL DEAD Theme ADAMS APPLE Chicago NOS! PicClick Exclusive

  •  Popularity - 2 watchers, 0.0 new watchers per day, 331 days for sale on eBay. Good amount watching. 0 sold, 1 available.
  •  Best Price -
  •  Seller - 1,537+ items sold. 0% negative feedback. Great seller with very good positive feedback and over 50 ratings.

People Also Loved PicClick Exclusive